Electrical connector with improved loading mechanism

Abstract

An electrical connector includes a socket with a number of electrical contacts and a loading mechanism surrounding the socket. The loading mechanism includes a stiffener, a load plate, and a latch mounted to opposite ends of the stiffener, respectively. The load plate has a plate portion and a tongue extending downwardly from the plate portion at said opposite end. The load plate and the latch rotate on opposite ends of the stiffener from an open position to a closed position. The latch defines a pair of looped sections snapping a pair of protrusions on the tongue as to lock the load plate on the stiffener at the closed position.

I claim: 
     
       1. An electrical connector, comprising:
 a socket with a plurality of electrical contacts; and 
 a loading mechanism surrounding the socket and comprising a stiffener, a load plate mounted to one end of the stiffener, and a latch mounted to an opposite end of the stiffener, the load plate including a plate portion, a pair of sidewalls at opposite sides thereof, and a tongue extending downwardly from the plate portion at said opposite end and rotating on the stiffener from an open position to a closed position, the latch rotating on the stiffener so as to lock or unlock the load plate on the stiffener; wherein 
 a pair of protrusions is provided on opposite sides of the tongue, and the latch defines a pair of looped sections snapping the protrusions at the closed position. 
 
     
     
       2. The electrical connector as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the stiffener has a flat portion and a pair of first sidewalls bending downwardly from opposite ends of the flat portion, and an opening is defined on the flat portion which divides the flat portion into a first side plate and a second side plate. 
     
     
       3. The electrical connector as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the flat portion has a notch and a slot at said opposite end thereby form a shaft therebetween, and the latch is received in the notch and includes an upper piece and a lower piece parallel to each other, and wherein the upper and lower pieces are connected at one end of the latch and formed a receiving space to receive the shaft. 
     
     
       4. The electrical connector as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the pair of looped sections protrudes from the upper piece and forms a notch therebetween, and the tongue comprises a mating section bent downwardly from the plate portion and received in the notch of the latch, and wherein the pair of protrusions are formed on the mating section. 
     
     
       5. The electrical connector as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the tongue comprises an extending section protruding laterally from the mating section and pressed by the lower piece. 
     
     
       6. The electrical connector as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the flat portion defines a first recess and a pair of second recesses at said one end, and the load plate includes a pair of hooks coupled to the second recesses and a tab received in the first recess. 
     
     
       7. The electrical connector as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the first side plate and the second side plate are connected with each other by a pair of second sidewalls perpendicular thereto. 
     
     
       8. The electrical connector as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein a top surface of the flat portion is co-planar with a bottom surface of the plate portion when the load plate is at the closed position. 
     
     
       9. The electrical connector as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a pair of stopper projects from the sidewalls of the plate portion and resists a bottom surface of the flat portion. 
     
     
       10. The electrical connector as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the socket defines a conductive region formed by a plurality of side walls thereof. 
     
     
       11. An electrical connector comprising:
 a socket with a plurality of electrical contacts; and 
 a loading mechanism surrounding the socket and comprising a stiffener with a flat portion, a load plate mounted to one end of the stiffener, and a latch mounted to an opposite end of the stiffener, the load plate including a plate portion, a pair of sidewalls at opposite sides thereof, and a tongue extending from the plate portion at said opposite end, the load plate rotating on the stiffener from an open position to a closed position, the latch rotating on the stiffener and engaging with the tongue so as to lock or unlock the load plate on the stiffener; wherein 
 the latch includes an upper piece and a lower piece connected with each other and defines a notch on the upper piece to receive the tongue of the load plate. 
 
     
     
       12. The electrical connector as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the tongue comprises a mating section bent downwardly from the plate portion and an extending section bent from the mating section, and wherein the upper piece of the latch includes a pair of looped sections snapping the mating section. 
     
     
       13. The electrical connector as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the extending section is pressed by the lower piece, and a top surface of the flat portion is co-planar with a bottom surface of the plate portion when the load plate is at the closed position. 
     
     
       14. The electrical connector as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the stiffener includes a pair of first sidewalls bending downwardly from opposite ends of the flat portion and defines an opening on the flat portion thereby divides the flat portion into a first side plate and a second side plate, and wherein the first side plate and the second side plate are connected with each other by a pair of second sidewalls perpendicular to flat portion. 
     
     
       15. The electrical connector as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the flat portion defines a notch and one of the first side wall defines a slot corresponding to the notch at said opposite end thereby form a shaft therebetween, and the latch is received in the notch and rotatably mounted to the shaft. 
     
     
       16. The electrical connector as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the flat portion defines a first recess and a pair of second recesses at said one end, and the load plate includes a pair of hooks coupled to the second recesses and a tab received in the first recess, and the socket defines a conductive region formed by a plurality of side walls thereof. 
     
     
       17. An electrical connector for use with an electronic package, comprising:
 an insulative housing defining opposite front and rear ends in a front-to-back direction, and an upward facing receiving cavity between the front ad rear ends; 
 a plurality of contacts disposed in the housing; 
 a frame structure located around the housing; 
 a load plate pivotally, along a first transverse axis, mounted to the frame structure around a rear end of the housing and defining a plate portion for pressing the electronic package, and a tongue extending forward from the plate portion and including a front lower extending section and rear higher mating section having protrusions thereon; and 
 a latch pivotally, along a second transverse axis parallel to the first transverse axis, mounted to a front end and defining a lower section downwardly pressing the extending section, and an upper section grasping the protrusions. 
 
     
     
       18. The electrical connector as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the protrusions are formed on two lateral sides of the tongue, and the latch defines a pair of looped ends commonly sandwich the mating section in a transverse direction perpendicular to said front-to-back direction and engaged with the protrusions along a third transverse axis parallel to and located between the first transverse axis and the second transverse axis. 
     
     
       19. The electrical connector as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the latch is formed by a metal sheet. 
     
     
       20. The electrical connector as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the frame structure defines a cutout to receive said latch.